Healthy Habits Yes or No (and why)?

Food Group Balance over Lo Carb – Yes.

Why? There’s lots of debate in fitness and nutrition circles about carbs, with many newer trainers and nutrition authorities (both qualified and otherwise) advocating high-protein and low carbs. Most registered dietitians recommend a higher carb diet, especially for hard-training athletes. In my view, a much more direct and self-regulating approach is to practice a food group-based priority sequence that emphasizes nutrient-richness (vitamin, mineral, protein and fiber concentration for a given calorie count). This beats the cumbersome drudgery of counting substrate grams (protein, fat and carbs) and more effectively nails the goal of providing optimal nourishment for athletic performance, recovery and general health. And it provides a more motivating constructive (what you should eat), rather than deconstructive (what you should not eat) approach that makes it easier to enjoy the process of eating, rather than applying an arbitrary limitation mindset that creates stress, resentment and guilt.

Extreme Training – No.

Why? I’m defining extreme training as exercise modes or practices that include high impact, unnecessary risks or excessive training protocols that are either unsustainable long term and/or create a top-heavy work-to-rest ratio. So, the definition is basically my rationale for not advocating it. As we age, it becomes increasingly important that fitness rests on and supports a foundation of general health. But it’s almost as important for young athletes as well. An injury rarely is disconnected from habits that preceded it including unbalanced loading, range-of motion and strength inequities and joint stress beyond reasonable limits. If you wouldn’t drive 120 miles per hour three or four times each week, it’s probably a good guidepost to avoid forcing your body to do twice what it’s able to do year-round regularly as well.

Alcohol – Depends.

Why? A glass of wine each night or an occasional mixed drink is really not a big threat to most people’s health or fitness level. But the alcohol content in a beverage is pure empty calories. And since most people either drink mostly or only during the evening, it’s likely to put you over your caloric needs for the day, with no nutrition benefit. If not, you probably could have used the additional nutrients with the food you would have eaten had you not saved the calories for the after-dinner drinks. Finally, there’s often an inertia to drinking habits (drinking more makes you want to drink still more) that can upend earlier in the day efforts to eat “clean” and avoid excess calorie consumption. That’s why I recommend going cold-turkey if you’re trying to lose body fat. It will be much easier and go more quickly if you do. If you’re happy with your body composition, enjoy, within reasonable limits. Not sure what those are? Ask your healthiest loved ones and friends how they think you’re doing on that front. If you’re reluctant to get that objective feedback, that may be all the information on the topic you really need.

Dan Taylor, ACE, NASM-CPT, is a 20+year fitness trainer and writer, former faculty member for ACE and NASM and owner of Pleasanton-based Tri Valley Trainer. They provide personal training and small group fitness solutions at their studio and an innovative, medically endorsed web-based group healthy eating coaching program.